Post Assignment Travel costs consist of the assignment or reassignment travel of Foreign Service personnel traveling to and from overseas posts, storage of their household goods when required, transfer allowances on transfers between posts or from posts to the Department, and services of the U.S. Despatch Agencies. These funds are managed from a central account in Washington.

Included within this section are increases for the transfer of the Foreign Affairs Administrative Support (FAAS) System from other accounts. The following justification reflects an increase for FAAS of $865,100 for overseas price increases which include (1) Air Fares $189,400, (2) Per Diem, subsistence and other expenses $113,100, (3) Transportation of things $529,600, (4) Temporary and continuous storage $27,300, and (5) Other services $5,700.

The cost of air fares continued to steadily climb during 1975. Numerous air fare increases were necessary in order to meet the spiraling fuel and other costs. The International Air Transport Association (IATA) approved at least one air fare increase for each geographical world-wide area. The percentage of increase and the effective date varied throughout the year. Internationally air fares increased 12.7 per cent in 1975. Domestically the Civil Aeronautics Board approved a 4 per cent increase effective November 15, 1974 and also approved an air fare restructuring effective April 29, 1975. Fiscal Year 1977 is expected to continue at the same inflationary pattern in international air fares with an overall 12.7 per cent increase amounting to $1,023,000.

Overseas rates of per diem increased an average of 17.6 per cent in 1975 as a result of increases in price levels abroad. A continued increase of 17.6 per cent in overseas per diem is anticipated in fiscal year 1977 at a cost of $611,000.

The costs for packing, crating and transporting the personal and household effects of Foreign Service personnel increased 25 per cent in 1975. Based on the most recent data, a 23 per cent cost increase is anticipated in fiscal year 1977 which will require an additional $3,420,800.

Temporary and continuous storage costs of household effects of Foreign Service personnel increased 13.2 per cent during fiscal year 1975. An increase of 8.4 per cent is anticipated for fiscal year 1977 in the amount of $88,100.

Services of the despatch agencies for freight forwarding and customs clearances of household effects increased by 7.6 per cent during fiscal year 1975. Based on the most recent data an increase of 10.9 per cent is anticipated for fiscal year 1977 in the amount of $30,000.

The Department 's fiscal year 1976 Authorization Act authorized the payment of a predeparture lodging allowance in the United States for Foreign Service employees. The predeparture lodging allowance will provide for the cost of temporary lodging in the United States between the time the employee ships his effects and the time of his actual departure. The annual cost of this allowance (for which no fiscal year 1976 funds were appropriated) is estimated to be $132,000.